While UCLA coach Steve Alford is trying to start anew with his new job in Westwood, his past—in particular a case where he defended one of his former Iowa players who had been accused of felony sexual assault—is something that just isn’t going away yet.

In 2002, Alford came to the defense of Pierre Pierce, the Hawkeye player accused of the above crime, saying numerous times that Pierce was innocent. J. Patrick White, the prosecutor in the case, said Alford’s repeated claims were a key factor in White’s decision to settle for a plea-bargain deal, the Orange County Register reported.

Pierce did not serve any jail time as part of the plea and later apologized for “inappropriate sexual conduct with a fellow student.”

"What upset me at the time (with Alford) was that he had continued to preach Pierce's innocence in very public settings ... and that it was incorrect and that there was evidence that proved that it was incorrect," White told the Orange County Register. "And this was very hurtful to the victim. It was very hurtful to the victim to read in the paper that Steve Alford, even with evidence of the assault by Pierce, continued proclaiming (Pierce's) innocence."

White also wondered aloud if Bruins athletic director Dan Guerrero even knew about this case.

Alford and Guerrero responded to this criticism in a joint statement Thursday, acknowledging the mistakes but also hoping to put the issue behind.

Said Alford: “At that time, I instinctively and mistakenly came to his defense before knowing all the facts. I wanted to believe he was innocent, and in response to a media question, I publicly proclaimed his innocence before the legal system had run its course. This was inappropriate, insensitive and hurtful, especially to the young female victim involved, and I apologize for that. I have learned and grown from that experience and now understand that such proclamations can contribute to an atmosphere in which similar crimes go unreported and victims are not taken seriously.”

And Guerrero: Everyone has regrets in their past, but acknowledging them and learning from them shows true character. I was aware of this situation when we hired Steve and concluded that although he made an error in judgment 11 years ago, he had learned and grown from that experience. Our evaluation was based on his entire career, both on and off the court, and that is what led us to make our decision that he was the right coach for UCLA.”